I have found so many different interpretation of Sonnet 18, I have to compare it to Spenser's Sonnet 75 and I am confused, please help.I have found...

The theme of  both the Sonnets  is similar, both the poets wish to immortalize  the names of their beloved in their sonnets.

The identity of Shakespeare's lover, the person to whom his sonnet is addressed is yet to be established with certainty. Spenser's sonnet is addressed to his wife Elizabeth Boyle whom he married on June 11th 1594.

Shakespeare's sonnet is a direct address to his lover, whereas Spenser's sonnet is in the form of a conversation with his wife.

Shakespeare compares his lover with only one object,"summer's day" and lists out the negative aspects of  summer season and concludes that his lover who is a personification of all the positive qualities of "eternal summer shall not fade."  Spenser, on the other hand, does not compare Elizabeth Boyle to any object. After the waves have washed away her name, he tells her how he intends to immortalize her and their mutual love in his verse. Hence, Shakespeare's sonnet is denser because it is packed with more images-word pictures which stimulate our imagination.

Shakespeare's sonnet has the rhyme scheme: ababcdcdefef gg whereas Spenser's sonnet has the rhyme scheme: ababbcbccdcd ee. The number of rhymes in Spenser's sonnet  is lesser than the number or rhymes in Shakespeare's sonnet and unlike the quatrains in Shakespeare's the two quatrains in Spenser's sonnet are 'linked'- bb and cc. Spenser's sonnet is thus more tightly constructed.

In the book The Giver, what is a description for Jonas's bedroom and the dining room?

In The Giver, Lois Lowry offers a
purposeful lack of description of Jonas' physical surroundings.  His sleeping room
consists of his bed and, on some occasions, Gabriel's crib, but aside from that we are
given no details.  It does have a door and seems to be the one place in his dwelling,
and perhaps in the whole community, where Jonas can have any real privacy.  We know it
is the one room where Gabriel can sleep through the night without much fuss, but this is
due to Jonas soothing the child with his "memories" rather than to any physical
attribute of the room.

The dining room, too, lacks real
description.  It is the place where the family shares their dreams after the morning
meal and significant events from their day after the evening meal.  Much of the
interaction between Jonas and his parents occurs here.  Beyond a table and chairs,
however, we never really get a sense of what is in the room.  In fact, we get a sense
that it is not a separate area at all.  When family members move from the table to the
shelf, desk, or cupboard, it does not appear that they leave the room.  In Chapter 5,
Lowry describes Jonas' mother cleaning up the morning meal and then placing the tray by
the door for the Collection Crew to retrieve.  This tells us that the family does not
cook their own meals, and therefore their dwelling does not need a kitchen.  We might
speculate that aside from the sleeping rooms and, presumably, a bathroom, the dwelling
consists of just one large room.

Can you give me full analyses for these characters in "Romeo and Juliet": Romeo, Juliet, Nurse, Friar, Mercutio, Paris?

There is a great deal of information about characters at the website below. 

 Romeo: "The son of Montague, Romeo is first introduced to us as a sad, melancholic, apathetic youth. His reason for sadness is universal; Rosaline his love will not return his affections."

Juliet: "Lord and Lady Capulet's daughter, she meets Romeo at her father's party and falls instantly in love. She secretly marries Romeo, and, when he is exiled, agrees to the desperate plan to fake her death. She is a young girl who grows in strength and maturity throughout the play."

Mercutio; "The prince's relative and Romeo's friend, Mercutio has a tough and bawdy wit, which contrasts with Romeo's passion and romance. He is killed in a fight with Tybalt, resulting in Romeo's losing his temper and killing Tybalt, Juliet's cousin." 

Paris: "A young nobleman, Kinsman to the Prince. Introduced to us in Act I, Scene II, it is Capulet's desire that the young Paris marry his daughter Juliet."

Friar Laurence: "A Franciscan priest, he plays a crucial role in the play by marrying Romeo and Juliet's in his cell in the hope that the feud between the Montague's and the Capulet's will now end."

Nurse to Juliet: "In many ways a surrogate mother to Juliet, she cares deeply for Juliet's best interests, even encouraging Juliet's dangerous relationship with Romeo in the hope that it will make Juliet happy."

What were the names of the author's brothers and sisters?

In the book Kaffir Boy, Johannes
(also known as Mark) Mathabane is the eldest of seven children. When the story begins,
he is five years old, and only two of his siblings, Florah and George, are born yet. The
arrival of the fourth child, Maria, is confusing to Johannes, who cannot understand why
his mother keeps looking fatter when the family has no food to eat. By the time the
youngest three, Merriam, Dinah, and Linah, are born, Johannes knows what is happening.
He sometimes resents his new siblings because they are a drain on his family's scant
resources.

In Lord of the Flies Chapter 5, Simon comes up with a dangerous idea. What is it?William Golding's Lord of the Flies

In Chapter 5 of Lord of the Flies, Golding writes
that

There was
a long pause while the assembly grinned at the though of anyone going out in the
darkness.

Significantly, this
line bespeaks of the weakness that lies in mankind when faced with its own shortcomings
and dark nature.  Too quickly, it is much easier to laugh and deride the grim truth or
find other explanations for what is too uncomfortable a truth.  For instance, the boys
try to label the beast as a sea creature.  But, after Ralph gives Simon the conch, Simon
explains,  "What I mean is...maybe it's [the beast] only
us."

"Shocked out of decorum," Piggy, who has said that he
seeks a solution, rejects Simon's intuitive answer since he represents the rational side
of man:  "Nuts!"  Piggy's reaction causes Simon to become "inarticulate in his effort to
express mankind's essential illness."

When Simon attempts
to explain to the boys by using the analogy about "the dirtiest thing there is," his
efforts are parodied, and he shrinks back to his seat; symbolically, Ralph peers "into
the gloom," the darkness of the boys' minds that will not open to Simon's insightful
observation.

Is Slim a lonely character? How?It seems like Slim and George have each other to talk to. They get along pretty well. Does that mean that, after...

Slim is a lonely character in the sense that not many in
his world match his level of skill, intelligence, and sensitivity. He is described in
narration as godlike in comportment; when he speaks, men listen. Even Lennie, whose
memory is terrible, remembers Slim. When George questions Lennie about Slim and Curley's
wife possibly being in the barn, Lennie is able to tell George that Slim had been alone,
and had told Lennie not to pet the pups so much.

Perhaps
the only character in the novel for whom Slim felt  companionship was, indeed, George,
but as the answer above states, George seems primed to go about the rest of his life in
the way he described to Lennie in part one: in cathouses, drinking whiskey and shooting
pool.

What "disaster" happened at Christmas between Scout and Francis, in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird?

Yes, Scout fights her cousin Francis for saying the ugly
things he says, but I think the issue is bigger than just the fight. We all know that
Scout is quick to fight and think later, but this time it is with a family member.
Francis doesn't mind telling Scout exactly what Aunt Alexandra has said about Atticus
and the way he is raising his children. He even makes fun of Dill, and this sets Scout
on edge.

"If
Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that's his own business, like Grandma
says, so it ain't your fault. I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a
nigger-lever besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the
family-"
"Francis, what the hell do you mean?"
"Just what I said.
Grandma says it's bad enough he lets you all run wild, but new he's turned out a
nigger-lover we'll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He's ruinin' the
family name, that's what he's
doin."

After Francis tells
Scout just what the family thinks of Atticus, Scout fights him. In her young age, she
doesn't understand the ramifications of what has been told to her. Francis is just
repeating what his grandmother has said to him. This is the first time Scout is hearing
these horrible things being said about her father by his own family. It is a shock to
her, and she has a hard time understanding it. This whole event takes place to set up
the way the town is going to feel about Atticus and the things Scout is going to
hear.

What lesson can be learned from Sydney Carton's death?A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens What lesson does Dickens tell to his readers with...

The theme of redemption is exemplified in the sacrificial
death of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities.  As a Christ-like
figure, Carton is the sacrificial victim who dies for the sins of the Evremonde twins
who killed members of the family of Madame DeFarge.  In dying for the family of Charles
Darnay, ne Evremonde, Carton also redeems his dissipated life by his act of love for
Lucie in returning to her her beloved husband.

That Sydney
Carton has redeemed himself is evident in the final passages of the novel in which
Carton envisions a child who bears his name on the lap of his dear
Lucie,

a man,
winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine.  I see him winning it so
well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of
his.

This theme of death and
resurrection/redemption has been prevalent through Dickens's novel.  First, it is
introduced in Book the First as Dr. Manette is "Recalled to Life," then, it is presented
humorously as Jerry Cruncher, who refers to himself as a "resurrection man,"
contemplates that it would not do for him if men were "recalled to life."  Charles
Darnay is imprisoned--buried from society--and then released twice in the novel.  And,
finally, it takes another's death to resurrect the life of Charles
Darnay.

How is the plot structure of "Everday Use" developed?

Alice Walker develops the plot of her short story by
contrasting three conflicts as they are portrayed in the lives of the two sisters Maggie
and Dee.The three conflicts which structure Alice Walker's moving short story "Everyday
Use" are:

1. Fantasy and
reality: The story begins with the mother dreaming and
fantasizing about how she would like her relationship with Dee to be:"You've no doubt
seen those TV shows where the child who has "made it" is confronted..........But that is
a mistake. I know even before I wake up." The mother desires to have a sentimental
relationship with Dee whom she expects to be overwhelmingly and eternally grateful
towards her for all the sacrifices she had made to give her a prosperous life style.
Hence the difference between the mother's dream and expectations and the reality of the
situation where Dee has scant regard or respect for her mother's
expectations.

2. Conservative and
progressive attitude: Dee has changed her name into the
African Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, because her old name "Dee" reminded her of her white
colonial masters. Outwardly her reason for changing her name might be politically
correct but its certainly not culturally correct.  Her entire past is negated because of
this name change. Dee's mother traces the family history of that name saying, "though,
in fact, I probably could have carried it back beyond the Civil War through the
branches."  Thus the conservative attitude of the mother clashes with the progressive
attitude of
Dee.

3. Education:
Dee was the intelligent girl who graduated from high school in Augusta unlike Maggie who
"knows that she is not bright" and only semi literate;  the mother of course confesses,
"I never had an education myself." Thus education and a lack of education is also a
source of conflict in the mother-daughter relationship and sister-sister
relationship:

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"Maggie will be nervous until after her sister
goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down
her arms and legs, eying her sister with a mixture of envy and
awe."

When a plant reproduces vegetatively its offspring are genetically _____.

Many plants are able to produce individuals asexually,
without producing seeds. Therefore, there is no pollination, fertilisation or gametes.
This form of asexual reproduction is called vegetative
propagation.

The offsprings produced are genetically
identical to its parent as well as others. Because it does not undergo the process of
meiosis, where changes may occur genetically.

In Glaspell's play, "Trifles," how does spectacle (stage direction, setting, etc.) arouse pity?

The setting of the play arouses pity immediately. The house is in the middle of nowhere, suggesting the loneliness of Mrs. Wright. We also get a sense of how domineering Mr. Wright was over his wife by what Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale say about him. "I don't think a place'd be any cheerfuller for John Wright's being in it." Mrs. Wright had no friends and no family to turn to. She was totally controlled by her husband, as was the custom of the day. This is supported by how the two women react when the men come in and out of the kitchen. When the men leave, the women start talking and discovering the clues to the murder. As soon as the men enter the room, they stop talking. This emphasizes the role of women in society during this period of time.

Because Trifles is a one-act play, characters must be developed quickly in one setting, and the plot is very tight. Therefore, everything that is said and done in the play is important in some way. We feel pity for Mrs. Wright even though we never see her, and this pity is developed by Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters.

Go to the link below to get a more detailed description of the play, events, and the characters. I hope this helps--good luck!

Who are the characters in the book "The Face on the Milk Carton"?I need to know them in order of importance please and thanks

Likely the most important, if you are trying to actually
rank them, would be Janie Johnson, then you could move to her parents since the three of
them together drive most of the action of the story.  You might also be able to put
Reeve shields up there but it is difficult to decide whether or not he would surpass the
parents in order of importance.

Again this is sort of a
difficult question as you could interpret it in different ways.  My feelings go for
Janie, then Mom and Dad though.

Attempt a feminist reading of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

The ironic aphorism of the opening sentence of
Pride and Prejudice brings the issue of money and marriage at
the center of Austen's novel. That marriageable girls are driven to the young, solvent
bachelors for their security and identity must be an important feminist angle in the
last decade of the 18th century.

The whole book has been
written from Elizabeth Bennet's point of view, and Elizabeth's self-respecting
intelligence serves as a strong resistance to the offensively proud cynicism of the male
chauvinist in Darcy. Elizabeth's disapproval of Charlotte's marriage to the clownish
Collins is yet another aspect of seeing marriage from the feminist standpoint.Elizabeth
accepts Darcy's proposal only after the proud male is sufficiently humbled to make a
second proposal to her.

Elizabeth was Austen's fictional
counterpart, an exceptional woman who finds love and marriage  in her own terms. She
even successfully encounters Darcy's formidable aunt to become the mistress of
Pemberley.  Austen's ironic stance in respect of the new economy of love has marked her
book an early discourse in the politics man-woman relationship.

To what extent do wounds play a role in understanding the facts and circumstances surrounding wrongful death?facts

Wrongful death suits arise from many situations. You are
asking specifically about wounds. Yes, wounds could be valuable evidence, depending of
course on how the person died. Wrongful death suits are Tort actions. A tort is a civil
wrong propagated against a person. In other words, torts are not criminal matters, but
some turn into criminal matters if intent is shown. For example, you are admitted to the
hospital for a routine "minor" surgery. Something happens in the perioperative period
and you die. A couple of things are possible... maybe you had an unforeseen allergic
reaction to the anesthesia, this is not a tort because no one did anything wrong. Let's
say you had that same surgery but this time the surgeon or operating room nurse
inadvertently left an instrument inside you. This of course is an accident, it was not
intentional, but it is a tort because you are now injured and then you died. A wrongful
death suit could be filed by your next of kin, and they would win !  But... the problem
is you are still dead !

What is unusual about McMurphy?

What isn't unusual about McMurphy?  The word "unusual"
takes on a much different meaning in a mental institution.  I spent the first half of
the book just trying to decide whether he was truly mentally ill or not.  Or whether
many of those inside were.  Clearly, some of his compatriots needed to be
institutionalized, but McMurphy was a match for Nurse Ratched, and the others enjoyed
watching them go back and forth, with McMurphy winning a good deal of the time.  If he
did have mental issues, they didn't affect his intelligence or awareness of himself and
those around him.

His voice and laughter were commanding,
they had a presence that gained attention, both positive and negative from those around
him and the hospital staff.

Discuss the point of view of the narrator in "Barn Burning".

The point of view for this story is from Sarty, a ten year old boy, for much of the story. Occasionally, Faulkner breaks this perspective and uses an omniscient narrator.

Faulkner was a fan of perspectivism, which is the telling of a story from a particular point of view or views. This story in particular is fairly traditional because the reader is given only Sarty's perspective for most of the story. Faulkner has written stories that employ a variety of narrators, such as The Sound and the Fury.

What was Aldous Huxley's background in science, and how is it reflected in the novel Brave New World?

Aldous Huxley's brother, Julian
wrote,

The
more [science] discovers and the more comprehension it gives us of the mechanism of
existence, the more clearly does the mystery of existence itself stand
out.

Thus, although Huxley
had to abandon science because of his poor eyesight and turn to literature, his outlook
remained essentially scientific.  For the theme of his novel is stated by him in the
foreword to the novel: 

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The theme of Brave New World
is not the advancement of science as such; it is the advancement of science as it
affects human
individuals.

The Bokanovsky's
Process,the Podsnap's Technique, decanting, the scientific hypnopoediac conditioning,
the feelies, the fertility treatments, the Malthusian drill--these are all scientific
"advancements" that destroy and mitigate the humanity of the people of Brave
New World.

Rather interestingly, although
Huxley's Brave New World, which was published in 1932, contains a
radically pessimistic view of human nature in its antiutopia, with its eerie combination
of a totalitarian society and "ubiquitous feel-good drugs," and free sex, Huxley made
his home in California after the 1940s.  By the 1960s, ironically, Huxley himself had
embraced the drug culture promulgated by Timothy O'Leary, experimenting with mescaline
and LSD.  With his religious penchant at the time, Huxley felt that LSD and mescaline
gave users essentially the same experiences that mystics attained through prayer,
meditation, and fasting.  In fact, he wrote two books about the effects of psychedelic
drugs, The Doors of Perception (1954), and Heaven and Hell
(1956).

And, most ironically, as Huxley was dying from
cancer in 1963, he had LSD pumped through his veins--a scene reminiscient of the death
of John the Savage's mother, Linda.

In "Sonny's Blues," how does the mother's tale about the narrator's father and father's brother shed light on this story?

In one segment of a memory flashback in "Sonny's Blues," Sonny's brother recalls a conversation with their mother during which she tells a family secret about their uncle, their father's brother. The narrator is seven years older than Sonny and though they were close in the darkness of suffering caused by racism and the darkness of escape from suffering through movies, he feels the separation caused by the seven years; at one point he worries about whether those years can ever be bridged. Their mother reveals a tragedy that affect their father and his brother.

The narrator learns that their father's brother, their uncle, was shot down by drunken white men. Their father lost his brother to the wild brutality of racism. Their mother is make an earnest plea by way of an object lesson that the older brother, the narrator, promise to always take care of Sonny because brothers are important and, at times, all the help that each has.

This family secret, kept from the boys in an attempt to reduce their suffering, sets up the  narrator's conflict because he doesn't know how to help Sonny and has given up on him. It also points out that suffering comes, as is said above, from wild racist brutality, the life darkening brutality of racism. Since this is so, the brothers need to appreciate each other and stand by each other and the elder must promise to help the younger to prevent them both from being drowned or shot down by racism.

How does the novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland represent the era? How does the author Lewis Carroll represent the era in this novel?

The early Victorian era marked the emergence of a large middle-class society for the first time in the history of the Western world. With this middle-class population came a spread of - "family values": polite society avoided mentioning sex, sexual passions, bodily functions, and in extreme cases, body parts.  By the 1860s, the result, for most people, was a kind of stiff and gloomy prudery marked by a feeling that freedom and enjoyment of life were sinful and only to be indulged in at the risk of immorality. 

The tone for the late Victorian age was set by Queen Victoria herself. She had always been a very serious and self-important person from the time she took the throne at the age of eighteen. This emphasis on manners and good breeding is reflected in Alice's adventures. She is always apologetic when she discovers she has offended someone, and she scolds the March Hare for his rude behavior. Nevertheless, Carroll seems to share the view that childhood was a golden period in a person's life.  On the other hand, Alice's own experiences suggest that Carroll felt that children's feelings and emotions were fully as complex as any adult emotions. By the end of the novel, she is directly contradicting adults; when she tells the Queen "Stuff and nonsense!" she is acting contrary to Victorian dictates of proper children's behavior.

why does impulse condition starts in receptors?

The impulses from the receptor pass along a
sensory neurone to the central nervous system. A
motor neurone carries the impulses to the muscles which
moves the hand away from the source of heat. This is the
RESPONSE

There are
two types of responses controlled by the nervous system.

1.
Learned responses. These responses are slower and need to
be learned (you are not born with them). Example imagine an athlete is waiting to start
a 100m race. The starter starts the race with a gun.

The
noise of the gun stimulates the sensitive cells in the ears, these cell then send
electrical impulses (messages) to the central nervous system, that is the spinal cord
and brain, via sensory neurone. Once the impulses get to the brain, it sorts out the
message and then co-ordinates a response. The impulses then travel from the brain to the
muscles via the motor neurone. When the muscles receive the impulses they contract and
move the athlete.

The stimulus
is the starter shooting the gun.

The
receptors are the cells in the athletes'
ears.

The co-ordinator is the
athlete's brain.

The effectors
are the muscles in the athletes' legs.

The
response is to start
running.

Stimulus - receptor - sensory neurone -
co-ordinator - motor neurone - effector - response

2.
Reflex actions. These types of reactions are very fast and
are automatic (you are born with them). These actions involve three neurones called
sensory, relay and
motor neurones. For example: if you touch something hot
with your hand.

Pain sensitive receptors in the skin detect
pain. The impulses from the receptor pass along a sensory
neurone to the central nervous system. At a junction
(synapse) between the sensory
neurone system and the relay neurone, in the
central nervous system, a chemical is released that causes
an impulse to be sent along the relay neurone. At a junction
(synapse) between the relay
and the motor neurone, a chemical is released that causes
impulses to be sent along the motor neurone. The
motor neurone carries the impulses to the muscles (the
EFFECTOR) which moves the hand away from the source of
pain. This is the RESPONSE.

A
reflex action always follows the
path:

Stimulus -
receptor - co-ordinator
- effector -
 response

The
major difference between learned responses and the reflex action is that the body
increases the speed of reflex actions by cutting out a part of the nervous system, that
is, the brain.

NOTE: The
effector can be either a muscle or a gland. Muscles respond to impulses by contracting,
glands respond by secreting.

What happens in chapters 15-19 in "The Devil's Arithmetic"?This book is hard to understand and any help is appreciated.

In Ch.15, the Commandant comes, and the children hide in the refuse and sewage rather than be discovered and killed.  Many friends from the village have been "Chosen" for extermination, and the women recite the Kaddish, or prayers, in their memory.

In Ch.16, the inmates settle into a routine where the sole focus is on staying alive.  Hannah learns that each time the blokova loses control of her group, she loses a finger.  The Commandant returns, and little Reuven is caught, taken away by the Commandant, and not seen again.

Shmuel and Yitzak have a plan to escape with their families in Chapter 17, but it is unsuccessful.

The camp witnesses the execution of six men captured trying to escape in Ch.18.  Shmuel is among them; as he is about to be shot, Fayge runs to him and they die together .  Yitzchak alone has escaped.  Hannah, Rivka, Esther, and Shifre are working in the field when the Commandant comes to "Choose" three for "transport".  Hannah is spared, but sacrifices herself so Rivka might live.  She walks through the door to her doom.

In Ch.19, Hannah finds herself back with her family in the present.  Aunt Eva reveals that her old name is Rivka, and she was saved by her niece Chaya in the camps.  By having lived Chaya's life, Hannah better understands her Jewish past, and the importance of memory.

How do the other boys treat Leper in "A Separate Peace"?

While the boys in "A Separate Peace" initially were either ambivalent or persecutory toward Leper, there is a great transition of those attitudes as the story progresses.

For instance, once Leper goes into the army, the boys begin noting all the wartime headlines about victories, and they credit Leper for each one. Their imaginations run wild with ideas about who he could be fighting or battles he could be winning.

Once Gene has a very intimate talk with Leper toward the end of the story, he discovers that his friend received a "Section Eight" discharge, reserved only for those who are mentally unstable. Leper describes his intense hallucinations to Gene, and Gene is so distraught by the descriptions of severed body parts and unreal visions that he abandons Leper at his home.

Throughout the story, Leper is somewhat of an "outcast," hence the symbolism behind his name. Lepers in biblical times were scorned and shunned for their physical condition, a pox-like infection that spread rampantly throughout that time and place. They, too, were considered outcasts.

In the Aeneid, why does Venus ask Vulcan to make the shield?

Venus is the mother of Aeneas, the hero of The Aeneid. Seeing that her son needs divine help, she begs her husband, Vulcan, to forge a shield that will protect Aeneas in battle against Mezentius.

A mother kneels a suppliant for her son.
By Thetis and Aurora thou wert won
To forge impenetrable shields, and grace
With fated arms a less illustrious race.

She uses her "feminine wiles" to seduce him into agreeing, but he tells her that all she had to do was ask:

Why seek you reasons for a cause so just,
Or your own beauties or my love distrust?
Long since, had you requir'd my helpful hand,
Th' artificer and art you might command,
To labor arms for Troy: nor Jove, nor fate,
Confin'd their empire to so short a date.

In other words, he would have helped Troy against the Greeks if only she had asked him to, but she didn't. Even though Aeneas is not his son, because Venus is his mother and because she loves her son, Vulcan will do as she wishes.

In Of Mice and Men by John Steinback in ONLY CHAPTER 3,why is Lennie smiling when Curley enters the bunkhouse?Please provide evidence from the...

When reading a novel, it is important to consider the
narrative and all the elements of fiction as a whole.  For, it is erroneous to evaluate
scenes solely as isolated incidents, when they are often connected to previous
foreshadowing or other incidents.  This incident of Curley's entering the bunkhouse and
seeing Lennie smiling is an example.  For, the simple happiness Lennie displays as he
contemplates his and George's dream is misinterpreted by Curley as a smirk of Lenny
against him. after the derogatory remarks of Carlson and Candy who have accused him of
being "yella as a frog belly" and weird about his one hand:  "What the hell you laughin'
at?...I'll show you who's yella."  (Curley also feels safer saying something to Lennie
because he has observed George telling him to be
quiet.  

And, this misinterpretation carries much import
for the entire narrative of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. First of
all, this misinterpretation of Curley about Lennie's smiling indicates Curley's
insecurity about being short.  For, he thinks Lennie is scoffing at him as physically
inferior.  Secondly, this misread of Lennie causes Curley to foster aggressive,
antipathetic feelings toward Lennie.  So, when he takes a swing at Lennie, there is
verisimilitude that has been established since he thinks Lennie will not fight and he
can punch him quickly, whereas Carlson and Slim would probably not let Curley even take
a swing at them.  Finally, these scene underscores Steinbeck's theme that alienation
from others--as the itinerant workers of the Depression era were--makes for fearfully
agressive men who try to disguise their vulnerability.

In Act 2, Scene 4 of "Romeo and Juliet," what change in Romeo's behavior does Mercutio comment on?

In Act II, Scene iv, Mercutio comments on Romeo's improved demeanor.  Before, Romeo had been depressed and moping around because the object of his affections, Rosaline, did not return his love.  Now that he has met Juliet he is light-hearted and joking once again.  Mercutio says,

"Why, is not this better now than groaning for love?  Now art thou sociable, now are thou Romeo..." (lines 87-89).

Ironically, just a few lines before, at the beginning of the scene, Mercutio had been talking with Benvolio about how Romeo, who has received a challenge from Tybalt, has been so melancholy and morbid.  He describes Romeo as

"...already dead, stabbed with a white wnech's black eye, run through the ear with a love song..." (lines 13-15).

Romeo had been so distressed previously because of Rosaline, that Mercutio and Benvolio were wondering whether he still retained enough spirit to meet Tybalt's challenge.

How does Chinua Achebe portray colonialism using Things Fall Apart?essay question

The picture that Achebe paints is not a very positive one,
using the story to depict a colonial power that enters and then brings about the death
of the Igbo culture.  Through the Christian religion as well as technological advances,
the agents of colonial power enter the village and work tirelessly to convince the Igbo
that their ways are the ways of the past and of ignorance and that the ways of the white
man are better.  They create rifts in the village and seek to exacerbate those by
continuing to point out ways that the village is
backwards.

Eventually the interference of the white men and
the conflict of their ways with the traditions of the Igbo bring about the death of the
Igbo culture signified in part by Okonkwo's suicide.

Who are the Montagues and the Capulets?no

“Two households, both alike in
dignity

(In fair Verona, where we lay our
scene),

From ancient grudge break to new
mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands
unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two
foes

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their
life,

Whose misadventured piteous
overthrows

Doth with their death bury their parents’
strife.

The fearful passage of their death-marked
love

and the continuance of their parents’
rage,

Which, but their children’s end, naught could
remove,

Is now the two hours’ traffic of our
stage-

The which, if you with patient ears
attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to
mend.”

Two households- The Montagues (Son: Romeo Montague
Age: 18) and the Capulets (Daughter: Juliet Age: 13 nearly 14) To understand Romeo and
Juliet you must know of the Capulet’s and Montague’s on-going fight. Generations before
Romeo and Juliet takes place the Capulets and Montagues had their fight started. I guess
it’s kind of like our Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie; subtract the anorexia, and the
once “best pals,” then horrible enemies back to “best
pals”

Since of this parent’s “strife,” I believe this is
why Romeo and Juliet fall in love, not because they really are, just because they know
they can never be together because of the parents fighting.  If the families weren’t at
war with each other, maybe the tragedy known as Romeo And Juliet were the two lovers
fall in love and end up killing themselves since they can’t be together, might have
never happened. Maybe they might ended up just married, with a kid or two, and ,
probably divorced since very rarely do many people have “love at first sight” and end up
married and living “Happily ever after”

The End… 
NOT!

With Love and
Care,

Alice. :)

In Book 6 of "The Odyssey," is it pure luck that Nausicaa helps Odysseus?

it is certainly not pure luck that Nausicca helps Odysseus.  It is mostly the work of Athene combined with Nausicca's own character and Odysseus' wisdom.  First the reason that Nausicca is even present to find Odysseus by the river is because Athene suggested that she go and do the laundry as a dutiful daughter. When Odysseus emerges from the bushes he at least has the sense to cover his private parts with leaves, then when he has the chance to speak with Nausicca he refrains from throwing himself at her feet which would have probably scared her away, and speaks from a distance.  Nausicca herself shows great bravery by remaining to speak with Odysseus after all of her servants run away.  Finally, when Odysseus is given a bath and clothing, Athene enhances his appearance so he appears to be a God, so that Nausicca would want to continue to help him. 

Who is the narrator of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?

The narrator of this novel is Huck Finn himself.  He is a young boy without a mother and whose father is considered the town drunk (when he's around at all).  We learn a lot about Huck Finn in just the first few paragraphs of the novel.  He tells us who he is, but also mentions the book is being written by Mr. Mark Twain, who also wrote Tom Sawyer - so, from the beginning, we are directly told that the events will come from the pen of Twain through the mouth of Huck Finn.  Being twice removed from the story gives it a hint of question-ability which is increased when Huck confesses that Twain did tell some 'stretchers' in the first book - leading us to believe he could tell some 'stretchers' in this one as well.  Huck goes on to give us other info, such as his negative views of religion, civilization, and eventually slavery.  Because the novel comes from supposedly such a young perspective, the reader easily accepts Huck as innocent and honest making easier for Twain to express his message through his narrator.

What is the personification, simile, metaphor, irony, and imagery of "Dulce et Decorum Est"?

I have pasted in the sources section below a link to the Guide to Literary Terms, in which each of these devices is defined. I'll give you a couple examples of each and let you find the rest of them in the poem.

Personification occurs when the author gives human characteristics to an inanimate object or animal. Look at how Owen describes the guns and see if you can find personification in them.

Similes and metaphors are comparisons; simile uses the word "like" or "as," and a metaphor does not. One simile in the poem is in the line "His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin." An example of a metaphor is the expression "blood-shod." The soldiers have lost their boots, and their feet are bloody instead.

Irony occurs in the whole poem, especially with the title and the final lines, which can be translated as "It is good and fitting to die in the service of one's country."

Imagery is mental pictures that the poem evokes for the reader. I won't give you any examples of imagery because that should be something you can "imagine" for yourself. Hint: the poem is full of images of war and pain. 

How does Reverend Wilson interpret Pearl's response to Dimmesdale's entreaty in "The Scarlet Letter"? What significance do you think Pearl's...

In Chapter 8, Governor Bellingham and Reverend Wilson suggest that Hester may not be fit to raise Pearl. When Hester pleads with Dimmesdale to intervene, he does so and convinces the men that Pearl was not only "the one blessing of [Hester's] life" but also a "retribution" and "torture" that will remind her mother of her sin. After the Governor relents, Pearl takes Dimmesdale's "hand in the grasp of both her own" and "lies her cheek against it."

This gesture makes Mr. Wilson suggest that Pearl is a witch and that she "needs no old woman's broomstick" to fly.

Hawthorne, on the other hand, creates irony in this scene when he shows Pearl unknowingly caressing her father's hand. Hester and the reader both wonder if Pearl feels some sort of kinship with him.

What is the role of the grandparents in Ordinary People?

The grandparents first give further backdrop on why Conrad’s parents are the way they are. Beth is a cold and manipulative woman consumed with appearances because she was obviously raised to be that way. Seeing her around her own parents fleshes her out as a nervous daughter looking for approval set at a very high bar. Cal had the same biography as Jack London, a father that did not claim him and a mother too unstable to provide for him. Neither of these adults have the capacity to provide simple unconditional acceptance. They are shown to be emotionally malnourished and either cannot see the pain Conrad is in (Beth) or have no means of providing for him (Cal).

What does Laura's limp symbolize and what do the candles she blows out represent in The Glass Menagerie?

The limp is a convention used to set Laura apart from "normal" girls (in high school) and other young women (as an adult). It also reinforces Amanda's refusal to acknowledge, at least to others, the reality of their situation: "I've told you to never, never, use that word", and instead of doing so, Amanda throws the condition back onto her daughter by declaring that, in Amanda's youth, girls minimized problems such as Laura's limp by focusing on their more desirable qualities.

The candles symbolize Tom's memories of Laura. While he often spars with Amanda, he does love and care about her in his own way; this is even more true of his sister. Yet, as the description of Tom's character in the play's "dramatis personae" indicates, Tom must act "remorselessly" in order to "escape from a trap." But he feels keenly the rift, foreshadowed by the power cut during the dinner with the gentleman caller, that has been forcibly created by his escape, and as the years pass, he is forced to admit to himself that he will be unable to forget his love for her. Finally Laura herself blows out the candles, hinting that she has been more successful than Tom at dealing with their split, or perhaps, even, that she has died.

What are some words that decribe a sexually active female and male? Are they positive or negative meaning?Also whar differences do you notice?

Views of single men and women who are sexually active are
usually very different. Single men who are sexually active are seen in a more positive
way than females. When single females are sexually active they are seen in more of a
negative way.

I agree that some common slang terms for men
who are sexually active are player or stud. These names are not really negative. Males
are often encouraged to participate in sexual activity and when they do so they are
usually not seen in a negative way.

Some names for women
who are sexually active are slut or whore. There are also very negative slang terms for
older, single, sexually active women. All of these terms are very
negative.

In "The Crucible" why does Reverend Parris wish to spare Proctor?

Parris doesn't really want to spare John Proctor's life, but he realizes that he may have no other choice. By the time Proctor's execution came up, the people of Salem were growing very tired of the hangings and allegations. So many people had been accused of witchcraft that homes and farms were being neglected and falling into disrepair. Everyone lived in fear of being accused, and there were rumors of a rebellion. As the instigator in bringing the judges to town, Parris knows that any blame for what has happened will fall on him. He's not well-liked in Salem anyway.

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What is the significance of Montag seeing his reflection in Clarisse's eyes?

Montag recognizes himself in Clarisse's eyes, indicating that there is a reflection of himself in her.  Although he doesn't fully realize or recognize what qualities of himself are present in her, he is aware that there is a kinship between them.  Clarisse's presence in his life leads him to develop thoughts and feelings that eventually dictate the "radical" actions he takes.  Just as Clarisse is different from the norm in Montag's society, he also becomes different.  His true feelings, which have gone unheeded, are reflected in Clarisse.

What does, "Under the spreading chestnut tree I sold you and you sold me," mean?

This is taken from a nursery rhyme of the time Orwell was growing up ("The Chestnut Tree" by Glen Miller 1939), much like he took the line "oranges and lemons say the bells of St. Clements." The references to these cultural cornerstones of the time are meant to stress that in Winston's world, no one remembers the true versions anymore; they have been tainted by the "falsification of the past" so that no one can learn from history to see what the future holds.   

The original lyrics are as follows: "Underneath the spreading chestnut tree/ I loved him and he loved me/ There I used to sit up on his knee/ ´Neath the spreading chestnut tree." The change of the lyrics is slight, but quite meaningful. Love is not permitted by party members.  Instead, they are encouraged to turn in anyone suspect of any crime against Big Brother, thus they end up selling each other out (as Winston does later with Julia and as Rutherford, Aaronson, and Jones have done as mentioned in Part I, ch. 7) thus switching the word "loved" to "sold." 

The second change is in the word "lie" as we find out that Winston once held evidence to prove that the confessions of these three men were lies (Part I, ch. 7) and the confessions Julia and Winston make are lies as well.

What are some literary devices used in Faust Part I & II by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe?

There are two categories of literary devices. There are literary elements and literary techniques. Literary elements are setting, plot, conflict, structure, climax, characters, and other parts of fiction that are essential and common to all fiction. Literary techniques are symbolism, imagery, onomatopoeia, personification, allegory, allusion, and other options that an individual author chooses to construct a work of fiction. Techniques are optional choices used at the author's discretion expressly to meet the author's goal, intention, and objective.

Goethe structures Faust Part I & II as a drama (play) written in German in various kinds of verse forms including German folktale verse forms and Faustian forms that Goethe developed himself. It has two separate parts divided by more than time and substance. Goethe abandoned Romanticism as soon as he introduced it and returned to Faust sixty years after the first fragment (incomplete) version was published, writing this time from a classical approach.

One technique Goethe uses is foreshadowing. For instance line 1088 ("Heaven above me: and the waves below") foreshadows the event in Part II in which Faust flys with the heavens above and the waves below. Another technique Goethe uses is symbolism. For instance, in Act I, line 1097, Goethe uses an eagle as a symbol for Faust and his desires to transcend earthly bounds of knowing ("The eagle widely soars"). Goethe also uses classical allusion that calls up stories, ideas, concepts, and characters from classical mythology and legend as in line 1084, which alludes to the Greek sun god Phoebos: "At last the weary god sinks down to night."

In "Nectar in a Sieve", what are all of Rukmani's sons names? Which one was the one that dies as an infant and which one was killed?

Rukmani has six sons.  Arjun is the oldest, followed closely by Thambi.  Both boys go to work in the tannery, but are fired when they are involved in the workers' movement.  Unable to find other jobs, they travel to the distant island of Ceylon to find employment, and are never heard from again.

Murugan is Rukmani's third son.  He takes a job as a servant in the city, and does not keep in touch with his family.  When Rukmani and Nathan, homeless and destitute, go to his home out of desperation, they find that he has deserted his wife and children for a life of gambling and women.

Raja is Rukmani's fouth son.  He is killed by a watchman at the tannery for trying to steal a pelt.

Rukmani's fifth son Selvam is studious, and is mentored by Kenny, who gets him a job at the hospital.  He is protective of his sister Ira, and offers to take in Rukmani and Nathan when they lose their farm.

Rukmani's youngest son is Kiti, who is born much later than her other children.  Although his sister Ira does everything she can to keep him alive, even selling herself into prostitution to be able to buy him food, Kiti dies as an infant. 

List the irony in "The Ransom of Red Chief".

The irony in "The Ransom of Red Chief" runs throughout the story. The most extreme example of it comes with the core incident: the reversal of the kidnapping. In a classic straightforward kidnapping, the criminals take a person. They have the power, and the kidnapped person becomes the victim, and lives at their mercy. They get money for returning the victim safely. By contrast, in this story the kidnappers end up at the mercy of the little boy, and the letter asks them to pay in order to give the boy back: " You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off your hands." The entire situation is reversed and the criminals end up running away. That's pretty ironic.

Briefly describe the policy of "containment" as is applied to U.S actions during the Cold War?U.S history

Containment was the idea of George F. Kennan, a diplomat
who worked in the US Embassy in the Soviet Union for 20 years.  He suggested in what is
known as "The Long Telegram" to Truman that containment was the way to deal with the
Soviets.  That is, do not directly threaten them or try to roll back communism where it
already existed, but contain the spread of it and be willing to fight to stop the
spread, or aid our non-communist allies to stop it for
us.

I like to compare it to the Free Soil Party of the
1840s US.  They did not seek to abolish slavery, only to stop it from spreading
west.

What are your thoughts on a husband leaving his wife pregnant? How do you think the women would be able to cope up with the situation.What...

When I was pregnant with my first child, I used all of the
horrific realities of pregnacy to deter my students from sexual relationships, or at the
very least, to practice EXTRA SAFE sex.

I cannot imagine
the reality of such a situation, but pregnancy alone would have been next to impossible
for me without a husband who was willing to do every household chore while I was in bed
with all day "morning" sickness for almost 5 months.  Add to this the immeasurable fears
that comes with becoming a first-time parent (all the insecurities, questions, worries,
financial and otherwise fears, etc.) and again, I cannot imagine having to go through it
alone.

We live in a world where teenage pregnancy is on the
rise, which means there are many girls who are doing it alone.  I actually think though,
the idea you presented of a husband LEAVING his wife would be worse.  The two likely
planned a family together (at least she did) and going into this situation with a plan
of doing it together, only to have that plan killed, seems like it would be even more
difficult than going it alone from the very beginning.

What types of behavior are approved and condemned in "The Odyssey"?

Approved Behaviors

1. Xenia- good hospitality = being a good host and guest (Telemachus' visit to Sparta, Book 4)

2. Reverence to the gods = animal sacrifices (Telemachus' visit to Pylos, Book 3; Odysseus' arrival in Ithaca)

3. Keeping promises- any oath sworn by the River Styx must be kept (Calypso's promise to release Odysseus)

4. Respecting the dead (Odysseus buries Elpenor, Book 12) 

Condemned Behaviors

1. Excessive pride (hubris)- mortals bragging that they're better than the gods (Odysseus' taunt of Polyphemus, Book 9)

2. Deceiving the gods = feeding them mortal flesh (Tantalus, Book 11)

3. Murdering your own children = Tantalus' murder of Pelops, in some verisions Agamemnon's murder of Iphigenia (Book 11)

4. Disobeying one's master (class system)

5. Greed = Ajax and Odysseus fight over Achilles' armor (Book 11)

What are some literary devices used in Act V?

In Act V, Scene 3 of Macbeth there are also the
following:

Metonymy 

Macbeth
asks the doctor, "Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff/Which weights upon
the heart?" (heart represents the
soul)

Alliteration

Macbeth
says,

"And with some sweet oblivous antitdote..."
(repetition of /s/)

"Thou lily-livered boy..." (repetition
of
/l/)

Parallelism

Macbeth: 
"Go prick thy face and over red thy
fear"

Assonance

Macbeth: 
"As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,/I must not look to have; but, in their
stead,/Curses not loud byt deep, mouth -honor, breath..."  (repetition of vowel
/o/)

Personification

Macbeth: "Curses
not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath,/Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare
not." (the heart denies, but only a person can deny)

Homer, Virgil, Ovid: used the same characters in their tales, wrote down originally oral tales, or wrote the same poetic verse form?

Interesting question -- I believe that the answer is that
Homer, Ovid and Virgil all wrote in (essentially) the same meter (hexameter, mostly
dactylic).  They did use some of the same characters (namely the Olympian gods, and, in
the case of Virgil and Homer, some shared human characters from the story of the Trojan
War).  Ovid and Homer certainly wrote down mostly oral tales (Ovid, in the
Metamorphoses, compiled many of the Greek and Roman myths, many of
which were oral tales of many hundreds of years standing), but Virgil only took a part
of his story from oral tradition -- a large portion of it he invented (the particulars
of much of the Aeneas story).  So you could say that all three authors did all three
things, but the one clear unifying characteristic that all three authors use is the
characters of the Olympian gods.

Homer, of course, wrote in
an early form of Classical Greek.  By Ovid's and Virgil's day people certainly could
still read this text (in fact, educated Romans of that time, such as Ovid and Virgil,
all were well trained in reading Greek), but it was a literary language that was
significantly different from the Greek spoken at that time.  Ovid and Virgil, of course
wrote (and spoke) in Late Classical Latin.  Nevertheless, all three poets wrote in
hexameter (the six-foot line), even though there are signficant differences between the
languages, and certain poetic conventions must be changed to accomodate them.  Homer had
established the hexameter as the epic poetic form, so both Ovid and Virgil (and other
poets of the time) were, in essence, imitating
Homer. 

Homer's story, of course, is the oldest of the
three, and, possibly, the least adulterated.  This is difficult to prove, however, since
there is very little literature in Greek before Homer (mostly fragments or accounting
records).  The religious system of Ovid and Virgil's Rome was inherited, at least
partially, from the original Greek pantheon of gods.  Many of the tales of Roman
mythology are re-tellings or re-workings of earlier Greek tales, changed to fit local
Roman lore.  So while Ovid, Virgil, and Homer all drew from the same well of shared
pagan mythology, Homer predated Ovid and Virgil by (at the very least) six hundred
years, and therefore had a different perspective and (possibly) access to older tales
than Ovid and Virgil.  It is without a doubt that Ovid's, especially, tales are, in some
cases, of very great antiquity.  But Ovid's tales are a collection; Homer's work is more
of a "snapshot" view of a Mycenaen tale of his time, while Virgil's is another
compilation injected with a large dose of poetic invention (and imperial flattery!) 
These three works of literature are each very different from each other, so it is
difficult to say that they each "came from oral tradition".  Probably the purest example
of that came from Homer, followed by Ovid (some of his tales had, of course, been
written down long before he collected them), and lastly Virgil's
Aeneid.

In the book The Fighting Ground, why is Jonathan (who is afraid of the Hessian soldiers) glad to be with them?

There are two reasons why Jonathan is glad to be with the Hessians.  After the horror and confusion of his first enemy encounter, Jonathan is separated from his band and finds himself lost and alone.  He feels "a terrible loneliness...he did not know what to do or where to go" (3:16).  Though initially terrified when he is captured by the Hessians, he finds they treat him decently, and though he tries to keep his hatred for them alive, before long "all he could muster was the desire to stand close to them, to be taken care of" (4:10).  Jonathan feels that he has alienated his parents through disobedience and shamed himself as a soldier through his cowardice - "there seemed to be nothing left of his past", and he began to wonder if the Hessians were his only remaining friends" (4:10).

The second reason is because Jonathan begins to realize the Hessians are just people not much different from himself.  He "had never seen enemy soldiers" (2:43) before, and the Hessians were indeed an impressive looking force with a reputation for fierceness and mercilessness.  Once he has been among them awhile, however, he sees that, individually, they are simple men much like those in his own troops, and in his mind the line between friend and foe becomes blurred.  Ironically, at the story's end, Jonathan finds that the American soldiers act even more barbarically than the Hessians.

What are some internal/external conflicts in "The Minister's Black Veil"?

There are many conflicts within this classic story. The first is between the minister and his congregation. He dons the veil, and this clashes with their needs and expectations. This is directly related to a conflict between good and evil, at least in the eyes of the townspeople. Think of how the old woman swears the corpse shuddered when the veil dropped; the veil is so disturbing it creates a conflict between life and death, and between stages of reality. Conflicts spread, as when a boy imitates the minister and scares his friends.

What is a summary for chapter 9 of "Lyddie"?

Lyddie is the story of a farm girl whose family falls apart.  When her parents are gone, the children are unable to make ends meet.  Lyddie goes to the city of Lowell to become a factory girl.  Lyddie is a work of historical fiction.

Chapter nine describes Lyddie's first day at work.  When she arrives, she is quite startled by the noise and bustle of the factory.  The overseer attempts to tell her how to run the loom, but he only confuses her.  A girl she'd never met before, Diana, steps in and offers to show her how to use the loom.  She spends the rest of the day learning from her.  Diana also offers to help her learn how to read better, so she visits her that evening and they study together.  With Diana's help, she writes a letter to her mother and one to her brother.  The other girls in Lyddie's boardinghouse tell her to stay away from Diana because she is "devious" and tries to stir up trouble, but Lyddie ignores what they say.

In Into the Wild, what are some quotes that represent characteristics of Chris's parents?

Chris’s mother says half way into the book, “I just don’t understand why  he had to take those kind of chances. … I just don’t understand it at all” (132). Krakauer’s placement of the grieving mother’s statement here, after providing reasons others have given and various accounts of Chris’s adventure, serves to show that no one yet has been able to give information that would assuage this mother’s deep sorrow.  She wants some closure from her son’s death but has none, and does not find any until she visits the site of his death at the end of the story. Walt, Chris’s father, reveals much about himself and his relationship to his son when he tells Krakauer an anecdote about Chris’s performance at school when Chris received an F because he did not turn in his lab reports in a particular, required format. Concerned, Walt called the teacher, and “After talking with the guy, [he] came home and told Chris he got the grade he deserved” (109). This comment indicates that Walt, like the teacher, values following the rules, and it is this that Chris resented so much; it is one reason he disliked his father so intensely and thought him devoid of a real moral compass. But it also indicates that his father provided a structured and moral environment for his son as a child, even if Chris ended up rejecting that.

In "Cask of Amontillado" what things did Montresor think out to ensure that his crime was a success?

 Montresor has  meticulously planned the time, the place and the method of his revenge well in advance.

1.Time: Montresor decides to take his revenge at "about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season," so that every one in his house especially the servants would have gone out and that he would be able to commit his heinous deed completely unnoticed by anyone. He had cunningly ensured that the servants would not return home that evening by lying to them that he will be returning home only next morning.

2.Place: Montresor chose the innermost crypt in his vaults so that Fortunato's cries would not be heard by anyone. He had also arranged to have the building stones and the mortar ready at hand to wall in Fortunato. When he accompanies Fortunato into the vaults he carries with him the instrument of revenge-the trowel.

3.The Method: All the while "smiling in his face" Montresor flatters and traps Fortunato by exploiting his "weak point" : Fortunato "prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine," and Montresor deceives him by saying that he does not wish to trouble him and that he'd rather  seek Luchresi's opinion regarding the quality of the Amontillado that he has bought. At once Fortunato takes the bait and accompanies Montresor into the vaults to prove that he is better than Luchresi. Once inside the vaults, Montresor gets him drunk to slow down his reflelexes and then leads him to his death. 

What examples of euphemism are in the book The Giver?

Euphemisms are often used to soften the cold truth. In The Giver, the people use euphemisms to hide reality. I don't think that reality is actually altered, but the perception of it certainly is.  Probably the most obvious euphemism in the book is the use of the word "release."

Different people are released in the book: The pilot who flew in the wrong place near the beginning of the story was most likely released. Often, one of twin siblings is released to prevent the possibility of two individuals being alike (which is really ironic considering the emphasis on people's sameness in the community). Elderly people are released, and infants like Gabe who seem to develop too slowly are as well.

What Jonas learns as the receiver is that to "release" someone actually means to euthanize them, or KILL them.  Calling this killing by another name doesn't really change the reality of the situation, but it does alter people's perceptions.

The community also values "precise language."  This is ironic, since many of the things people say there are anything but precise. For example, Jonas' father is a "nurturer," but part of his job is to euthanize undesirable babies.

The Giver is a great book.  For more information on it check out the links below:

What are the settings of "The Shawl"?

As the story opens, the main characters, Rosa, her infant daughter Magda, and her niece Stella, are on a forced marched to a Nazi concentration camp. It was common for the Nazis to move their prisoners from one camp to another on what came to be called death marches; if any died along the way, so much the better. Elie Wiesel describes in his book Night how he and his father had to walk from Buchenwald to Buna in the snow.

Once they arrive at the new camp, it becomes the primary setting for the horrors the story depicts. Ozick doesn't give us the name of either camp.

In chapter 5, what hint is given in the story of how Gatsby's house was built?

If you want to know about the appearance of Gatsby's house, there is some description of it at the beginning of Chapter 5 telling the reader that the house sits at the end of the peninsula and has many windows.  Then about a third of the way into the chapter, while Nick is giving Jay and Daisy some time together and he looks across the lawn to Gatsby's house, the reader learns the style of the house is "period" (in this case, the house probably resembled a large manor home such as one might find in England) and it was built by a brewer.  Also the reader learns there is a large centrally placed bay window.  In the last six or so pages of the chapter, when Jay is showing Daisy through his house, the reader learns that there are gardens around the house and marble steps leading up to the main entrance.  In the house, the reader is told that the interior design varies somewhat from room to room with "Marie Antoinette music rooms and Restoration salons".  There is a large library and upstairs the bedrooms are decorated in period styles.  Gatsby's suite of rooms include a bedroom, a bath, and an "Adam study".  Gatsby's bedroom, though simple in decor, has two large cabinets that he opens, then he pulls his shirts from them.

What do you think Faber means when he says, "those who don't build must burn"? Do you agree with him?

What Faber is saying is similar to an old saying from the
'60s -- "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."  What he is
saying is that people who do not want to do things that are helpful (building) are going
to do things that are destructive (burning).

I do not
really agree with this statement.  I think that it is possible to be pretty neutral.  I
think that there are surely plenty of people who do not actively do especially good
things.  I count myself among them.  I am not some big philanthropist or volunteer or
anything like that.  But, at the same time, I don't think I'm tearing anything down.  I
don't think that you have to be either a great benefit to society or a great harm.  I
think you can be neutral.

What does Montag do to Mildred's friends and what is their reaction?

In the book, what Guy Montag does is a couple of things. 
First, he tries to engage the women in conversation about things like the war and their
families.  This is something that is apparently just not done in their society.  It is
unwelcome because it is trying to get them to think and
feel.

Second, he tries to read poetry to them.  In the case
of the conversation, they react by being very uncomfortable and trying to break it off. 
They fidget and look around nervously.  When he reads to them, they completely freak out
and want to leave.  They talk about how horrible the poetry is and how horrible he
is.

"Whoever You are Holding me now in hand." What's the meter, theme, and metaphor in "Leaves of Grass"? I really dont understand the meaning of the...

Whitman's poem "Whoever You are, Holding Me now in Hand" appeared in the third edition of his "Leaves of Grass" (1860) which was entitled "Calamus.

 The inflorescence of the calamus plant is shaped like an erect male penis. Calamus is thus a metaphor for male homosexual love both physical and emotional.  In Greek mythology Kalamos the son of the river god Maeander loved Karpos son of Zephyrus and Chloris. When Karpos died in a drowning accident, Kalamos was griefstricken and he was transformed into a reed.

Although the poem is full of overt physical references my personal opinion is that it refers to the emotional bonding or difficulty in establishing an emotional bonding between the poet and his readers. 

The leaf of the calamus plant resembles a sharp sword, and in Japan it is considered a symbol of the Samurai's bravery.  Whitman puns on the word 'leaves.' "Leaves conning" refers to the pages of his book of poems "Leaves of Grass."  Just like how the sword shaped leaves of the calamus plant can hurt someone so also  Whitman warns his readers that their sensibilities will be hurt when they read his poems and the true meaning of his poems will "certainly elude" or "con" (deceive) them. Hence the readers are warned of the risks of attempting to read his poems in a very superficial manner.

The metre and rhythm of the poem is that of free verse which mimics everyday speech.

In "To Kill a Mockingbird", what does Atticus tell Scout when she says she doesn't want go back to school because of Miss Caroline?

This is the point where Atticus teaches Scout to "step into someone's skin and walk around a bit" or to see things from others' points of view. Atticus asks Scout to consider Miss Caroline's feelings--she's in a new town with a new job and she doesn't know anyone or any of the customs. He tries to get Scout to understand the first day of school is difficult for MIss Caroline as well.

Atticus also makes Scout a deal: they'll keep reading the newspaper at night as long as Scout agrees to keep going to school. Very quickly, Atticus teaches his young daughter the adult concepts of empathy and compromise.

In "Lord of the Flies", how does Piggy treat a small boy? What does that tell us about Piggy?

Piggy is very considerate of the younger boys’ feelings. He is really the only "big kid" patient enough to deal with them. When Piggy speaks to the young boys, he speaks in a kind voice and reassures them that all will be fine. He is the one who is elected to stay with the younger boys while the rest explore the island. In Chapter 2 when the boy with the mulberry birthmark is missing after the fire, Piggy is the one who shows concern and admonishes the others for their carelessness. 

Piggy's actions show the reader that he is sensitive to other's feelings. He is probably this way to others because he has always been treated unkindly. His actions also represent the adult factor that is missing from the island. Piggy is the one who remains level-headed and makes the other boys think about realities they try to ignore.

Who is Walter with and what is he actually doing during the story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"?Full detail

Walter Mitty is with driving his wife doing various errands during the story. Because Walter is such a daydreamer, he imagines himself as the hero of various fantasies that are suggested by events that occur in his real life. For instance, when the story begins, Walter is driving his wife to a hair styling appointment but, as he drives, he images himself to be a commander of an airplane crew flying through a dangerous storm. This is Mitty's way of dealing with his dominating wife and dull life.

On what page numbers does the author describe the characters Ralph, Piggy, Jack, and Simon in chapter 1 of Lord of the Flies?

Lord of the Flies opens with a description of Ralph "the boy with the fair hair." Shortly after that, still on the first page (which is page 12 in my version), Piggy's description begins with his "plump" knees which continues over the page where he is described as "shorter...and very fat." The reader also learns that he has asthma (page 13) and wears "specs" (pg 14). As mentioned above, the page numbers will vary. My edition is a school edition (South African version) from 2008/ 2009. The boys discuss the fact that there are no "grown-ups" and wonder about any other boys. Ralph's description continues on page 15 with his "golden" body as compared to Piggy who is "palely and fatly naked" (pg 18).

From page 24, the other boys begin to emerge and on page 26, the reader learns that "something dark was fumbling along" the beach which foreshadows Jack and his choir's arrival. On the same page, it is clear that Jack is "the boy who controlled them," and his description on page 27 says that he is "tall, thin and bony" with red hair. He apparently has a short temper, his "light blue eyes" revealing his anger. When the boys vote for Ralph as chief, Jack's "freckles ... disappeared" (pg 30). Simon is introduced on page 29 as he "smiled pallidly" - (he is very pale) and on page 32, Simon is revealed as a "skinny, vivid little boy" with straight black hair. 

In Chapter 7, what is the significance of Daisy's question about what they will do with the rest of their lives?

This question of Daisy’s reflects back to her question in Chapter One.  “What’ll we plan?” she asks; “What do people plan”? Living in the present, vacuous to a fault, she has no ideas as to how to fill up her time.  While in general a condition of modern life is that it goes much too fast to understand, for Daisy it goes much too slow because she is unable to perceive its movement. Significantly, immediately before Daisy makes this comment in Chapter Seven, as he stands on Daisy’s veranda with Tom and Gatsby and looks onto the “green Sound, stagnant in the heat,” Nick sees “one small sail crawl[ing] toward the fresher sea” (124). This boat provides a direct contrast to Daisy for it seems to have more direction in life than she, for she is without any goals whatsoever.

In The Cay, how and why did Phillip's attitude change towards Timothy? What was the ultimate sacrifice that Timothy made for Phillip?

Phillip treated Timothy with disrespect. He demanded more of the water rations than was his share, refused to help set up shelter, and viewed Timothy with stereotypical disdain. He found Timothy's inability to read or write further reason to ignore his advice.

This begins to change when Timothy finally snaps and slaps him for his behavior. This seems to awaken some respect for Timothy, and he begins to see the value in his advice for survival and self-sufficiency.

Timothy's ultimate sacrifice comes when he shields Phillip from the worst of the effects of the hurricane, despite being stricken with malaria. Timothy ultimately dies from the injuries he received.

What does the ship symbolize in the book Lord of the Flies?

The ship that the children see in the William Golding
novel Lord of the Flies symbolizes at least two different things.
First, it symbolizes survival. A ship would be the boys' only way off the island, so it
is important that the boys keep a signal fire burning at all times as a marker in hopes
of rescue. Secondly, the ship symbolizes the outside world, the civilized world to which
the boys hope to eventually return. It also serves as a reminder of the war that is
going on outside the boys' island world.

What symbolism is represented in A Doll's House?

An interesting symbol that is usually not mentioned is the dance, the Tarantella, that Nora practices for Torvald. 

During this dance, Nora is full of excitement, nervous energy and agitation, so she dances wildly and Torvald is displeased with her. Symbolically, the dance, can be seen as Nora's attempt at a full and satisfying life, and Torvald, obviously, does not approve. Nora could never have a more satisfying life with her husband, he does not approve.

He refers to Nora with cute little animal names, like a pet.

"Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? (Taking out his purse.) Nora, what do you think I have got here"? Act I

"It's a sweet little bird, but it gets through a terrible amount of money. You wouldn't believe how much it costs a man when he's got a little song-bird like you!" Act I

She is treated like a doll, who must look pretty, and be put on a shelf to be controlled. Nora is not a real person to her husband, in his mind, she can never handle responsibility outside the house. Therefore, when Torvald finds out about Nora's deception it is such a betrayal, a scandal for him.

In the book "The Odyssey," how does Odysseus show cruelty ?

Odysseus shows cruely several times, but the most marked is when he kills the suitors. Even Homer says so. Look at Book XXII:

Odysseus answered, “Telemachus and I will hold these suitors in check, no matter what they do; go back both of you and bind Melanthius' hands and feet behind him. Throw him into the store room and make the door fast behind you; then fasten a noose about his body, and string him close up to the rafters from a high bearing-post, that he may linger on in an agony.”

Wanting someone to be in agony sounds cruel, and Homer even says, a few lines later "There, then, they left him in very cruel bondage..." calling the act cruel.

He does other cruel things, but that stands out. Yes, the suitors robbed him--but kill them all? And to torture?

What is "The horror, The horror" in Heart Of Darkness?They are the Kurtz dying words.

One of the beautiful elements of Kurtz's final words are
the multiple levels on which they work. Not only is Kurtz reflecting on his own life and
experiences, but he is also commenting on misguided colonization of Africa at this time,
and upon the essential nature of the soul of the human race. In their own ways, each is
a heart of darkness.

Certainly Kurtz has lost his bearings
as his way as an individual. Even the madness or insanity that some reader's see in him
is merely a manifestation of his own downfall. He, himself, is a
"horror."

Likewise, the misguided attempt to colonize and
exploit Africa is also a "horror." Kurtz, perhaps unlike most of the other characters of
the novel, sees just foolish and precarious such a proposition truly is. Africa has no
use for and no reason to tolerate the invasion of the
Europeans.

But, central to the entire work, is Conrad's
comment on the essential nature of the human spirit--the idea that we all are corrupt
and evil at the core and that we merely need the right conditions and triggers to bring
those elements to the surface. The heart of darkness is both a physical place on the
African continent and a spiritual place at the core of the human
soul.

What do the children learn from Cal?

To me, the most important lesson the kids learn from
Calpurnia is that they need to treat people well no matter who the people are.  This is
not something that they only learn from her, but it is the most important lesson that
they learn in the book.

I think that they learn this (or at
least Scout does) most effectively when they bring Walter Cunningham home to eat on the
first day of school.  On that day, Calpurnia quickly corrects Scout when she seems to
think she is better than Walter.

By this and by her own
dignity even though she is herself low on the social scale, the kids learn that all
people deserve to be respected.

Why does Sammy think of customers as sheep in "A & P"?What does Sammy's reference to sheep in the short story "A & P" by John Updike mean?

Sammy thinks of customers as sheep because he really doesn't care about them as individuals.  They are all the same to him...simply people that are there to buy goods.  Also, let's think about how sheep are regarded and taken care of.  They are not regarded as the smartest animals, first of all.  Also, they are herded through gates by Australian cattle dogs or other types of herding dogs, just as the customers are herded through the check out lines at the A & P store where Sammy works.  The reference of people as sheep is not a pleasant or flattering one, then, as we can see!

What is Simon's function in the novel? And how does he die?

Simon is seen by many as a Christ-like figure.  He has an
ability to work between the two groups without any real problem and he is particularly
careful to look out for the little kids in the group.  He also has a strange intuition
and an ability to in a certain way predict things about the future.  The boys think him
strange but give him a certain respect.

As the novel
progresses, he wanders off into the woods and sees "the beast" after a vision in which
the pig head on a stick talks to him.  He is the only boy who understands that the beast
is the fear inside the boys.

It is just after this vision
that he stumbles out of the woods in the midst of one of the games of the boys where
they play-kill a pig and in their moment of fear and blood lust they fall on Simon and
kill him.

In Le Morte d'Arthur, what instruction does Arthur give his men before he leaves to meet Mordred?

King Arthur tells his knights never to do anything outrageous nor to commit murder, and always to avoid treason.  He instructs the knights to not be cruel, but merciful to those who ask for mercy; the knights are to preserve chivalry by aiding damsels in distress.  No man should do battle in a wrongful quarrel against the law or for world's good.

How do Santiago’s thoughts and perceptions about himself and the world begin to change?

Like life itself, Santiago's perceptions about himself and his world begin to change as his life experiences change. Unlike many, however, it's not so much the changes that take place, but his reactions to those changes that make the difference.

At first, Santiago's world view are colored by his rather provincial upbringing. His journey out of his known world bring him into contact with people who and experiences that open his eyes to the possibilities for fulfilling his "personal legend." One of the many telling episodes in the story is the tale he's told of the "oil and the spoon." In this story, he learns of the challenge of recognizing the possibilities before you and those present in the larger world context. Once open to this new reality, Santiago is able to see himself in terms of the world while recognizing what he already possesses. This enables him to go forward with more confidence knowing that in his possession are many of the tools he needs to realize his potential.

What is the impact nature has on the human spirit in the poem "Freedom to Breathe" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

According to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's "Freedom to
Breathe," the impact of nature on the human spirit is one of freedom, pleasure, and
survival. Solzhenitsyn asserts, based upon experience, that the greatest deprivation of
imprisonment is the loss of the freedom to breathe freely while standing amidst nature's
goodness, such as "air steeped in the fragrance of flowers, of moisture and
freshness."

He also contends that the breathed aroma of a
garden and apple tree after a rain invades his whole being with pleasure. Finally,
Solzhenitsyn equates the freedom to breath apple trees after a rain with the continuance
of, the survival of, the human race: "As long as there is fresh air to breathe under an
apple tree after a shower, we may survive a little longer."

In A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, what are the 3 miracles the old man performed incorrectly according to the townspeople?

The incorrectly performed miracles attributed to the old man according to the people of the town were:

1.  a "blind man who didn't recover his sight but grew three new teeth",

2.  a "paralytic who didn't get to walk but almost won the lottery", and

3.  a "leper whose sores sprouted sunflowers".

These "consolation miracles" were described in "mocking fun" and served to discredit the angel's authenticity and ruin his reputation.

How do McCarthy's techniques convey the impact of the experience on the main character in The Crossing?

Cormac McCarthy uses a variety of techniques to convey the impact of Billy Parham's experience in The Crossing.  In the scenes when Billy kills the wolf and later carries her through the mountains to bury it, McCarthy employs vivid imagery to describe the scenes.  Billy is aware of every move the wolf makes, and these instances are detailed in imagery.

Further, McCarthy manipulates the syntax of the lines while Billy travels through the mountains.  At the beginning of the second part of the novel, the first paragraph is one single run-on sentence.  The speed of the line suggests the enormous impact that this experience has had on Billy.

This question is the basic premise of the prose rhetorical analysis prompt (Question #2) from the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition Exam (1999).  The College Board compiles a variety of student sample essays after each test and posts them on their website to help students prepare for the exam.  View these essays for alternative perspectives on McCarthy's techniques.

Discuss the features of metaphysical poetry in "The Sun Rising"?

If we go with the traditional characteristics of
metaphysical poetry, certainly John Donne fits the bill with The Sun
Rising.

First, metaphysical poetry often
presents an argument against an unseen element, or an element that cannot answer back.
In this case, the speaker is fighting the Sun.

Second, the
use of hyperbolic description, simile, and language like Donne uses when describing the
intensity of his love, is also traditional of metaphysical
poetry.

Third, the intensity of deep thought, philosophy,
and sensibility are more evident in this type of poetry than in traditional poetry, and
Donne again hits right on with his philosophical comment on how the sun should "be
somewhere else when is needed". That is a sign of existentialism, and this is also very
typical of metaphysical poetry.

Most importantly: Symbolism
is the biggest and most important characteristic. In this case, the Sun symbolized
passion, grandeur, energy, love, passion, intensity, gravity. This, as well as in other
poems like Death be Not Proud, and The Flea, Donne indeed places strong value in symbols
and representation in verse.

In "Shooting an Elephant", what connection does Orwell assume to exist between being important and being hated by large number of people?

In the first line of "Shooting an Elephant", Orwell answers this question.  The line reads, "In Moulmein, in Lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people — the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me."  Orwell makes the assumption that when you are important, you will be hated by the people who are under you.This idea plays out in the story as the narrator struggles between his occupation as an English imperial police officer in Burma and his desire to be accepted and respected by the people he is supposed to control.  The narrator tries to mold the two ideas (being important and being liked) during the incident where he shoots the elephant.  As the authority figure, Orwell, takes his position in the scene, defending the masses from 'danger', hoping that this will appease them - but the masses simply use peer pressure to force Orwell into shooting the elephant so they can have the meat.  By giving into the desires of the masses, Orwell becomes their pawn and loses even more of their respect.  The conclusion of the story acknowledges once again that the narrator position as an important figure in the imperialistic setting will always insure that he is hated by many.

Why is "Look Back in Anger" still seen as a significant play in the development of British theatre?

Huge question - and one about which people have written entire books. When it premiered on the 8th May 1956 at the Royal Court, "Look Back" caused uproar - it opens, of course, with Alison Porter doing the ironing, and at the sight of an ironing board, the audience gasped.

The prevalent style before "Look Back" might be best seen by comparing it with another popular play from the period ("The Chalk Garden" by Enid Bagnold might be a good place to start) - but they tend to be set in drawing rooms, to be classified usually as comedies, and to focus on upper-class characters.

John Osborne actually started the movement with "Look Back" that came to be known as the "Angry Young Men" - who brought writing which, like Osborne's play, sparkled with energy and determination, eschewed politeness, and sympathetically depicted middle-class characters realistically - ironing boards and all!

Though critics like Dan Rebellato have since argued otherwise, the premiere of "Look Back" is traditionally seen as the beginning of the "Angry Young Men" movement in British Theatre.

In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge", what does the captain's nod mean?

The captain's nod is the signal to drop Peyton Farquhar from the bridge.  The story takes place during the civil war, and Farquhar is being hanged by the Union army for attempting to blow up a bridge that would have cut the Northerner's off from obtaining supplies.

Why did Georges Braque paint "Woman With Guitar"?What was his purpose? What does the painting represent?

Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso worked together to
develop the style of Cubism. Cubism was a technique in which objects, such as simple
objects from their studio; a vase, a piece of fruit, a wine bottle or a person, were
viewed from different angles. Then the different angles of the subject were aligned on a
grid using verticals and horizontals. The viewing of different angles of the same
subject all on the same plane of the canvas was a unique and revolutionary idea in
pictorial composition. In order to further break down and simplify objects, color was
muted into neutrals of grey and brown. Picasso and Braque worked together, sharing each
other's ideas, images and techniques; so much so that they actually stopped signing
their canvases. The painting, "Woman With Guitar" is an example of early Synthetic
Cubism. Analytic Cubism is when the subject is analyzed from different angles and put
together in different ways. Space is flattened, color made neutral and lines and details
simplified or removed. In Synthetic Cubism collage elements and textural elements are
introduced. The space is further simplified with less shading and fewer facets. Woman
With Guitar is an example of early Synthetic Cubism. This unique collaboration of
artists, along with the revolutionary ideas of composition and form began the abstract
movement in Western Art, which continued for decades.

What does the quote "Suit the action to the word" from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" mean?

In Act 3 Scene 2 Hamlet is discussing with the actors how he wants them to play their parts in his trap for the King.  He tells them first not to over act but then he says for them “Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature:” 

Hamlet is trying to encourage the actors to think about what they are saying and act accordingly.  Don’t over act, but don’t forget their words and don’t underact.

Can you name all the characters Mitty imagines himself as, and the scenes in the story? I can't tell what is real or imagination.

The story starts with a daydream - Walter imagines himself to be Lieutenant Berg, commander of an aeroplane, and plunging into the depths of a hurricane. We then switch to real life and Walter Mitty's wife telling him off for driving too fast.

Then, Mitty plays an expert doctor with his name, who is just about to perform an incredibly difficult operation on a millionaire banker. When disaster hits, Mitty the doctor is able to save the day. Then we switch back to Walter Mitty driving his car and buying overshoes.

Walter then again plays himself but in the witness stand being accused of murder by a district attorney. He calmly boasts that he would have been able to carry out the murder and then is jerked back into real and mundane life, buying puppy biscuits!

While waiting for his wife to finish at the hairdresser, he becomes Captain Mitty, a wartime pilot, about to embark on a dangerous mission. Interrupted by his wife, they head back together, and whilst his wife picks up something from the drug store, Walter Mitty is transported in front of a firing squad, denying the option of having his face covered as he faces his last few moments....

Hope it helps!

How is Clarisse different than other teens in her society in Fahrenheit 451?

The society in Fahrenheit 451 is based on hedonism, which is the pursuit of pleasure.  In this society, it is primarily physical pleasure and experience.  Clarisse, however, isn't interested in the activities that promote this.  She likes to be with people and to share ideas, to talk.  In her innocence, she questions the goals and priorities of her fellow teens, as well as of Montag. 

In chapters 3 and 4 of "To Kill a Mockingbird," what lesson does Calpurnia try to teach Scout about Walter?

Calpurnia tries to teach Scout that Walter was a guest in her home, and just because he is of a lower class, he is not to be treated as such. Calpurnia wants to make it known that a guest is to be treated cordially no matter what their social or economic class, and it is up to the host to make them comfortable.Calpurnia lets Scout know that it is wrong to try to point out a guest's behavior as inappropriate. This is evident when Walter pours syrup all over his lunch, and Scout embarrasses him by laughing out loud. Scout does not understand why it is not acceptable, as it is just "Walter" and he is a "Cunningham". Calpurnia tells her she was the one in the wrong, not Walter.Scout is punished for being impolite and is kept in the kitchen for the remainder of the meal.

Scout later complains to Atticus of Calpurnia's grievous error in punishing her, but Atticus not only supports Calpurnia, but reinforces the lesson as well.

How important is the setting of "Everyday Use" to the plot?

The setting is very important to the plot.  It is central to the characters' ways of life.  Dee, the oldest daughter, has moved to the city, and is living a completely different life than her mother and her sister, Maggie.  Mama and Maggie live in a rural area and live in a humble home with only cutouts for windows in the home.  They have what they need to survive and not much more, but they are very happy with their lives.  Dee is also happy with her life, although it is very different from her mother's and sister's.  The story is also set during a time when a return to African roots was very important for African-American people.  There was political and social strife during this time period, as well, including the civil rights movement and the women's rights movement.  Without the collision of the two worlds, Dee's vs. Maggie's and her mother's, the story wouldn't be what it is.

What is the meaning of Hamlet's soliloquy, "How all occasions do inform...," in Act 4, Scene 4?

Hamlet watches the army of the Norweigan, Fortinbras, and asks a Captain where they are going. The Captain tells him that the Norweigans march to "gain a little patch of ground" which is barely worth five ducats. The army of men are about to pointlessly sacrifice their lives for a seemingly worthless gain. 

Starting from this point, Hamlet's soliloquy considers the way that everything he experiences ("all occasions") seem to point toward the revenge regicide--dulled by inaction, "dull revenge"--that he has thus far been unable to commit against Claudius.

Hamlet ruminates on the nature of humankind's God-given reason and concludes bitterly that he does not know why he remains alive saying that "this thing's to do" but still not doing it, a remark that makes explicit the dichotomy between thought and action that many critics have found in the play as a whole.

As he did in his earlier soliloquy ("Oh what a rogue and peasant slave..."), Hamlet considers that, unlike these soldiers, he has a "great argument" (compelling reason) to carry out his deed of vengeance, but, unlike these men, he seems unable to do it. 

Hamlet's conclusion is that, from this moment forth, "my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth" though we might detect a wry irony of Shakespeare's in the line: Hamlet, who is supposed to be doing has just resolved to think bloodily, rather than act bloodily.

Mrs. Dubose was addicted to morphine, how did she fight her addiction?

Basically, Mrs. Dubose fought her addiction by toughing it
out.  She just overcame her problem by sheer will
power.

One thing that helped her was having Jem and Scout
come and read to her.  I think that this helped her by giving her something else to
think about other than her problems.  She spent some time correcting Jem as he read. 
But much of the time she was just there and did not really seem to be all that "with
it."

I think it was really just her own toughness that did
it with a little help from the kids because they distracted her.

In chapter five of "Lord of the Flies", why does Piggy show disapproval when Ralph calls his assembly?

Piggy's disapproval does not stem from Ralph having called the meeting, but rather, how the meeting is conducted and what is being discussed at the meeting.  Piggy is the "brains" of the group of boys; he represents the intellectual and as such, he is upset that the meetings are not conducted the way they should be so that things could be accomplished.  The "conch shell rule" of letting whoever holds the shell speak is not being enforced. The meetings are often broken up by silliness and therefore little is done.  At this particular meeting, the topic is whether or not there are beasts.  Piggy wants to show how illogical the notion is.  He also suggests that what the boys have to fear is their own savagery which is corroborated by Simon.   This meeting, like so many others, ends in chaos.  Life is becoming more and more chaotic on the island and Piggy realizes this.  He knows that having some place where rules are enforced will help slow this trend and he thinks the meetings are one of those places where there should be order.